I must admit to being very alarmed at Karaoke being called detestable on a folk forum. It's no different to what happens in a folk club or singaround as passionate amateurs cover their favourite songs in a state of (invariably inebriated) un-selfconsciousness. This is what people have been doing in public houses since the first ever landlord e'er tapped a barrel, and remains a regular feature of folk-life to this day - everyday people singing songs they know and love. What's the problem?

Soon enough, no doubt, Karaoke punters will be singing the real folk songs from Sting's latest album and in so doing will be returning them to a more venerable tradition than that which Wor Gordon got them from in the first place.